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He was a literal ball of sunshine, his positive energy bounced off of him like rays of light. Jaskier was the happiest person he had ever met, the man seemed to be bursting at the seams with all of the joy inside of him. He reminded Geralt of an overly excitable puppy. He was the human embodiment of happiness.
Geralt on the other hand, was something like a thunderstorm made into the shape of a man. He knew that he always seemed to have darkness behind his eyes, but he wouldn’t call it sadness. No, that felt too simple. He was a manifestation of the feeling of being forlorn. That was what his life had been for more years than he cared to count. The constant loneliness of the open road and the rejection he tried to brush aside every time he had to enter a town just for them to chase him out as soon as the job was done. It was what had helped to make him that way.
He had told himself that when Jaskier insisted on being his travel companion that it was only to be a temporary thing. From the looks of the man’s clothes and the sweet, yet woody, smell that wafted around him, Jaskier didn’t seem like he would want to go weeks without a proper warm bath the way Geralt had to. It was clear that he enjoyed the finer things in life and there had to be no way he’d want to give that up.
Despite that belief, Jaskier surprised him when he would happily bath in a nearby river, singing softly to himself as he used a bar of soap he had bought from one of the many villages they’d stopped in. Not even washing up in freezing water seemed to dim the man’s bright mood. Even when he would show back up at their camp, shivering head to toe, he still had a smile on his face.
“It really reminds one that they are alive, doesn’t it?” He questioned as he flopped down on the grass in front of the fire Geralt had built while the other man was gone.
Geralt hummed in agreement as he continued to feed several more branches to the crackling flames.
That was another thing, Jaskier was a chatterbox while Geralt was more of a silent observer. It made sense for them both to be the way they were, considering their professions. Jaskier was a minstrel, known throughout several kingdoms for the ballads he’d craft about people like Geralt. He would write songs that made Geralt sound like a hero for his work, but he was just doing what he was trained to do, it wasn’t like he had any other choice in the matter. He was just a witcher, he only fought monsters, he didn’t really think that it was anything to sing about. Maybe back when he was much younger, Geralt would’ve enjoyed it, but that time had passed and he wasn’t that same boy anymore.
That didn’t stop Jaskier from chasing after Geralt with a lute strapped to his back and a spring in his step. He followed Geralt into swamps and abandoned castles, asking way too many questions while Geralt fought off many different manner of beasts and did his best not to lose focus. He knew that if he made the mistake of doing that, not only would it cost his life, it might end Jaskier’s as well. He knew that was just a part of his lifestyle, all witchers met the same grim fate eventually. It was a part of that dark cloud of destiny that followed each monster hunter around every second of their lives. It wasn’t the same for Jaskier, the outlook of his life was more of a summer’s day, full of promise for good things to come. Geralt refused to let it be his fault that it got snuffed out.
So, that meant he was a little too harsh towards the bard from time to time. Hell, the first time they had met back in some tiny tavern that Geralt can’t even recall anymore, he’d punched him straight in the stomach for a meer poor choice of words. He wanted Jaskier to give up the ghost and just go back to wherever he came from or stay in whatever kingdom they would drop in next. Yet, here he remained still, despite the comforts, riches, and pleasures that had been offered to him time and time again. Countesses and duchesses pleaded for him to remain and he always found a reason to refuse. Most of all those reasons had been something to do with Geralt.
Geralt didn’t ask for a long time why this was, but that did not mean that it didn’t start to eat at the back of his mind after a while. Surely, Jaskier had enough material for his lyrics by now? Why was he constantly there, cleaning up after Geralt, saving his dark reputation, and essentially caring for him? There were so many other people out there that would be much better suited to the musician’s company and yet, here he was. Part of Geralt worried that one day Jaskier would one day realize this himself and that was why he did his best to keep the other man at arms length. If they didn’t get close, he wouldn’t get hurt, right?
That would mean Geralt would have to go back into that dark place in his mind again, alone. As much as he refused to admit it, having a physical beacon of elation keeping him company had grown on him.
“Why do you still come with me on these trips? Surely, they’ve grown mudaine over the years?” Geralt questioned one afternoon as they strolled through a town in search of a monster hunt that might need to be carried out.
Jaskier rolled his bright blue eyes playfully as he gave Geralt a slight bump with his shoulder. “You need me, of course.”
“Do I?” He questioned with a look of disbelief and amusement as he attempted to ignore the odd twisting in his gut.
“Obviously, how else would you have been able to gather enough coin to purchase yourself new armor, hm?” Jaskier questioned, clearly pleased with himself. “Before you met me, sir gloom and doom, you were lucky to be able to afford yourself a cup of ale after a good hunt.”
“You don’t believe in modesty, do you?”
“I don’t have to when I’m right! Without my performances of your heroic efforts across the lands, you would still be in those tattered old rags you’d called clothes. People would still hold those awful and wrong beliefs about you.”
“Okay, Jaskier, I get it. You can give it a rest now.”
“You’re welcome.” He sassed with a cheeky grin.
“What’s in it for you though?” Geralt asked and wanted to kick himself for the next statement that came out of his mouth. “You clearly don’t need me.”
At Jaskier’s rare moment of silence, Geralt cast him a furtive glance, finding the other man licking his lips and the pads of his fingers on his right hand rubbed against themselves. They were hints that Jaskier was nervous now.
“I wouldn’t say that it necessarily has anything to do with needing you, per se, I just think we make sense being together.” He explained as his eyes momentarily found Geralt’s golden one’s now watching him closely. He brushed a hand through his chestnut brown hair, making strands of it stand on end in his hast as he rambled on, “We balance each other out in a way that even I struggle to understand. For example, I like to consider myself a rather cheerful person and I’m always optimistic about things. You, on the other hand, are a bit more on the melancholy side and yet that makes you more of a realist, that’s how you survive doing the things you do.
“I need you around to keep me from letting my head float off into the clouds somewhere to never be seen again and you need me to pull you out of that hole in the earth you like to dig yourself into sometimes. I guess the best way to put it is, I’m the light to your dark.” Jaskier finishes with a shrug as if he hadn’t just said something that was quite disarming.
“You’re like the sunshine to my rainstorm.” Geralt murmured under his breath without thinking and that got Jaskier to perk up instantly.
“What did you say?” He asked, sounding oddily breathless, but before Geralt could answer or try to brush aside his remark, a familiar face in the crowd made them both halt. “What is she doing here?”
The sorceress, Yennefer, made her way through the villagers as they drifted away from her as if she had a forcefield around her that repelled them from her personal space. For all Geralt knew, she might be doing just that. When her violet eyes found them, she gave them an amused grin.
“It’s good to see that you two haven’t managed to kill each other by now.” She said as a form of greeting, but there wasn’t any of the usual malice in her tone for once.
It seemed she had found it in herself to let go of the falling out the three of them had on a hunt for a dragon a while back. It had all been a mistake, the wish that had bound Geralt to her and the feelings of love it had fabricated between them. Geralt was just glad that she wasn’t trying to bewitch him or cut him down with a sword the way she had done in the past because of that slight. If he had to describe Yennefer as an emotion it would be rage. The kind of rage that pushed someone forward and it had clearly done her good to use that anger as a tool to propel her desires. He was glad to not be a part of that any longer, but he was still willing to at least call her a friend.
“It’s good to see you too, Yen. What brings you here?” Geralt questioned as they moved to stand at the side of the street to keep out of the way of passersby.
She sighed, “I’m advising for the King of this land for the time being. So far, he hasn’t been a total idiot.”
Geralt nodded appreciatively, “Well, I’m glad to hear that you’re keeping out of trouble for once.”
Her eyes flashed momentarily, maybe they weren’t on as good of terms as Geralt had first thought, but she simply chuckled, “Something else is bound to come about soon enough. Especially with the both of you around.”
Jaskier cocked an eyebrow at that, but managed to hold his tongue even though there appeared to be a thousand stories playing out across his irises. Yennefer clearly noticed this too as she asked, “Has Geralt been any better to you, Jaskier? At least, since the last time I saw you, together?”
Geralt didn’t appreciate the fact that implied that these two had seen each other without him around. The gods only knew what they said to each other and what they might’ve said about him. On top of that, what did she mean by him being better to Jaskier? What had the bard said to her? Then he found his thoughts correcting him, what had she seen from both of them?
“We’re fine now.” Jaskier informs her in a low voice, but then he seemed to gain a bit of his confidence back as he added, “We’re better than ever.”
She nodded, but Geralt could tell that she didn’t completely buy his words. He turned his gaze to Jaskier, astonished to find that for once, he appeared to be the stormy one. It was so off-putting to see the usually animated man so still as they stared at each other, speaking without making a sound. It was bizarre enough that it made him wonder what it looked like when he and Jaskier interacted since he knew they were both such polarizing people. Then he thought about what Jaskier had said about them balancing each other out, but the more he pondered over it, it began to dawn on him that the scales were uneven. Jaskier always seemed to give so much more in whatever was going on between them, and Geralt felt a sharp pang of guilt in his chest. Yet again, the sun seemed to provide more than the rain.
The group’s conversation ended soon after that and once Yennefer was gone, there was an uncomfortable silence between the other two. As much as Geralt wished Jaskier would speak to break the tension, part of him was grateful that this would give him a little time to think.
As the minutes dragged on, Geralt became increasingly frustrated with himself as he mulled over Yennefer’s question to the other man. Had his treatment of Jaskier gotten any better since their argument on the mountain? In some ways, it had, Geralt wasn’t as combative as before, but in other ways, it hadn’t. He still tended to be cold to the bard, but he’d told himself that it was to keep from getting hurt. Then again, wasn’t he harming his friend as well along the way?
By the time they had reached the stables at the inn they were staying at for the night, he had concluded.
He peered over at Jaskier as he tended to his cream-colored horse, Pegasus, still eerily quiet.
“You’re right, you know?” Geralt pointed out, finally deciding that for once, he was tired of the silence.
The hand that had been using a brush to clean off Pegasus’s coat paused abruptly as Jaskier gave him a perplexed look, “As much joy as it brings me to hear you finally admit that, would you mind elaborating?”
Geralt was surprised to feel something like the ghost of a smile cross over his face. In the past, he would have kept something like this to himself, but he owed it to Jaskier to let him in on what was going on in his head this time around.
“You were right about us bringing balance to each other’s lives, but I’ve just begun to notice that the exchange between us isn’t as equal and fair as it should be. After the remark Yennefer had made back there, I started thinking some things over and I’ll do my best to make sure that you’re finally receiving as much as you’ve always given.”
A smile that could have burnt out the sun itself sprang up on the bard’s face as he basically pounced on Geralt and hugged him tightly. Geralt was honestly surprised by the strength behind his embrace as Jaskier whispered, “I knew you’d come around.”
Geralt leaned away slightly from Jaskier’s hold, their eyes locking, and Jaskier was like an open book. The usual elated expression was there, but it was also accompanied by relief and a glint that Geralt had only ever managed to catch in glimpses. He knew just what that look was now and decided to do something about it. He tipped his head down to Jaskier and caught his shocked lips in a gentle kiss. Jaskier let out a soft yelp at the contact, but right after, his mouth was eagerly pressing back.
Both of their horses let out irritated huffs after a few minutes, prompting them finally to break apart with soft chuckles.
“You’re the sunshine to my rainstorm.” Geralt murmured as they continued to stand there in each other’s arms.
“What?” Jaskier questioned, sounding dazed and appearing as if he had too much wine.
“You had asked me what I’d said earlier, and that was it.” Geralt confessed, and before he lost his nerve, he added, “I need you to work properly. You’re the elation coming in to combat my forlorn ways. You keep me from tipping the balance into something unfixable. I do truly need you, Jaskier.”
Jaskier’s eyes seemed to be shining, “Look at you, stealing my purpose as the poet in this. The same can be said about you, though. I never make sense without you around; you have a knack for keeping me from being too much.”
“As do you.”
Jaskier grinned before glancing back down at Geralt’s lips as he mumbled, “I think I’m tired of talking for once.”
Geralt chuckled deeply, “Really now?”
Jaskier nodded as he pulled the larger man back to him.
“Well, I guess we’ll just have to give you something else to do then.”
Jaskier rolled his eyes, and yet again, he reminded Geralt of sunshine.